England cyclists target British record

 

Wednesday, 14 March 2006; Team England Press Release

 

Team England in a 2k warmup for the Games in full race mode. Steve Cummings leads Chris Newton, Paul Manning and Rob Hayles.

Team England's 4k team pursuit track cycling team have their sights set on breaking the British record when they race for gold at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne on Saturday (18 March). The quartet of Rob Hayles, Chris Newton, Paul Manning and Stephen Cummings said today they aim to break the national record of 3:59.866 and to 'match or better' the silver medal they won in Manchester four years ago.

"We want to set new best times for the country in the team event," said Stockport's Manning. "We have to go for the national record because that's what it'll take."

"We're aiming to beat the national record, but we might have to break the world record to win," added the Middlesborough-born Newton who lives in Oldham.

The world record, 3:56.61, was set by Australia, the reigning Commonwealth champions, when they pipped the English foursome to gold at the Olympic Games in Athens two years ago. However, the English quartet beat their main opponents to become world champions in Los Angeles last year and are confident they can snatch gold again in Melbourne.

"To win a gold here is just as difficult as at the World Championships or Olympics," said Cummings, the Merseysider who will celebrate his 25th birthday the day after the team pursuit final. "Basically it's the same nations -- Australia and us -- we've been the best two teams on the track for years now.

"But we're not really interested in them. All we can do is concentrate on how fast we can go."

If recent form is anything to go by, that will be quick. Rob Hayles, the team's elder statesman who began his Commonwealth Games career in Victoria in 1994, won the individual pursuit event at a World Cup competition in Sydney last week and is now full of confidence after recovering from a slight cold he picked up from his seven-week old daughter Madeleine before leaving England a few weeks ago.

"Things went very well in Sydney," said the 33 year-old from High Peak in Derbyshire. "Winning that event boosted my confidence no end. I know now that I am going pretty well as good as I ever have done at the moment."

Hayles will also be going for Melbourne gold in the 4k individual pursuit race, the event at which he finished fourth in Athens, while Manning and Cummings will also chase individual honours.

"It would be nice to have an all England final," said Hayles. "The three of us are all going very well so there's no reason why not."

The 31-year-old Manning is another experienced cyclist, having won an individual pursuit bronze in Manchester, while Cummings has come into individual contention more recently, attracting the admiration of his older team-mates in the process.

"Steve's really thrown a curve ball into the equation," said Hayles. "No-one really has any idea what he can do, including himself."

The individual pursuit final takes place on Thursday (16 March), but all of England's contenders insist the team pursuit title is their number one goal. "As a team we've been going very well," said Hayles. "We've been training in Sydney because the track there is similar to the one in Melbourne."

"It's got shorter straights and longer bankings than we are used to in Manchester. It's different but within a couple of sessions we had it sussed. It affects how we approach things tactically a bit, but I'm not going to tell you how!"

The quartet may be keeping their tactical cards close to their chests, but cycling?s performance director Dave Brailsford was openly enthusiastic about their chances. "They're aiming to be the best they can be on the day," he said. "If they do that it'll be good enough, I believe."

"I don't think there are any more professional athletes in the entire Games than these guys. They are disciplined, committed, hard working and a joy to work with. I know they won't let the country down."